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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23758096">You Have One Saved Message</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/CKBookish/pseuds/CKBookish'>CKBookish</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Batman Bingo 2020 [11]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Batman - All Media Types, Batman and Robin (Comics), Robin (Comics)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>A hug for everyone, Batman Bingo, Bruce is dead, Bruce is lost in the time steam, But they think he's dead, Damian Needs a Hug, Damian Wayne is Robin, Damian Wayne is a good brother, Damian gets a hug, Dick Grayson is Batman, Dick Grayson is a Good Brother, Gen, Hurt/Comfort</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-04-20</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-04-20</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-18 10:40:25</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,279</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23758096</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/CKBookish/pseuds/CKBookish</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Gotham gossip columns spread lies and smeer good people's names.  But yet Damian can't help but think maybe this mornings article was true.</p><p>That despite all his claims of being the true son of Bruce Wayne, he was in fact the only unwanted one. </p><p>Batman Bingo 2020: Bruce is dead</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Bruce Wayne &amp; Damian Wayne, Dick Grayson &amp; Damian Wayne, Tim Drake &amp; Damian Wayne</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Batman Bingo 2020 [11]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1590904</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>76</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>686</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>You Have One Saved Message</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>I hope you'll enjoy.  As always I love to hear from you whether it's a comment or  Kudos!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Rewind.</p><p>Play</p><p>Rewind.</p><p>Play</p><p>Rewind.</p><p>Play</p><p>I’d forgotten the way you’d say my name</p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p>“Damian. Pick up your phone.  I know you’re listening to this... You know what.  Fine. You're  grounded. I’ve had it up to here with you attacking Tim. I mean it.  Pick up your phone!”</p><p>If you would like to delete this message press one.  If you would like to listen to this message again press two.</p><p>“Damian. Pick up your phone.  I know you’re listening to this...You know what.  Fine. You're  grounded. I’ve had it up to here with you attacking Tim. I mean it.  Pick up your phone!”</p><p>If you would like to delete this message press one.  If you would like to listen to this message again press two.</p><p>“Damian. Pick up your phone.  I know you’re listening to this. You know what.  Fine. you're  grounded. I’ve had it up to here with you attacking Tim. I mean it.  Pick up--”</p><p>Damian jumped as his phone rang interpreting the recording of his father. A quick glance at the screen showed Grayson was calling him.  Damian wiped across his eyes and nose with his sleeve, and cleared his throat before answering.</p><p>“What do you want, Grayson?” </p><p>“Damian, Thank God.  Where are you? I’ve been looking everywhere.” </p><p>Damian did his best to ignore the concern in Grayson's voice. </p><p>“Tt.  You mustn’t of looked with both eyes.  I’m on West Tower’s roof.” Damian listened to Grayson splutter.  He waved at his brother and watched him spin around on the balcony of the penthouse.  Damian could just make out Grayson’s silhouette three blocks over.</p><p>“Seriously?” Dick sighed. “Do you want me to come to you? Or do you want to come back here?”</p><p>“Grayson, I neither want nor require your presence.” Damian most certainly didn’t want to have Grayson see his face.  He no doubt had red rimmed eyes and snot stains on his jacket.  </p><p>Damian listened to Grayson’s steady breath for a long moment before he spoke.</p><p>“If you want time alone that's okay, but you don’t have to be if you don’t want to.  B used to like to sit together when he was upset. We don’t even have to talk about whatever's wrong.”</p><p>“I will be staying here…” Damian hesitated.  It wouldn’t be so bad to have company. That was if Father would have allowed it. “It would be acceptable if you would be willing to bring me my sketchbook.” Damian knew his eyesight wasn’t good enough to actually see Grayson’s teeth from here, but he could still tell that the fool was smiling at him.</p><p>“On it.  Do you want.. Err the black sticks or pencils?”</p><p>“Charcoal.” Damian held back his tut at the last second.  He hadn’t ever explained his art supplies to Grayson so it would be harsh to expect him to remember the name of Charcoal.  He was working on being less ‘judgy’ as Stephanie called it.  </p><p>He didn’t have to wait long to see Grayson leap headlong from the balcony and swing himself between buildings.  Grayson sank down next to Damian and silently handed him his sketchbook and charcoal pulled  from the depths a messenger back he had slung over his shoulder.  Which Damian accepted with a small nod. Grayson said nothing about his slightly puffy cheeks and simply leaned back against the stone of the building.  His legs swinging slowly as he gazed at the city below them.  </p><p>The sketchbook was almost full. So he flipped towards the back of the book and began to outline the skyline.  It was a perspective he had never drawn before, so the task was at least interesting. Damian wasn’t sure how long they sat there in silence, unmoving apart from Grayson’s swing leg, and Damian’s hand making steady strokes across the paper.  He honestly didn’t know Grayson could be this quiet. Even when they were on a stake out Grayson would chatter away. After a while Damian found it unnerving. It was uncharacteristic of his guardian. He had come to expect the constant annoying blabbering.  Perhaps Grayson was ill. Perhaps he needed medical care. But he had moved fine as he made his way over to the tower. Deciding it was his duty as Robin to ensure the well-being of Batman, Damian cleared his throat.  </p><p>Grayson pulled a water bottle out from the same messenger bag that he had used to carry Damian’s art supplies.  Damian accepted it tentatively, and decided not to scold him for endangering his sketchbook by carrying water in the same compartment.</p><p>“Grayson, are you… You are quieter than normal.”</p><p>Grayson’s eyebrows shot up. “I didn’t think you wanted me to talk,  didn’t want to distract you. Tim likes quiet when he is taking pictures --”</p><p>Damian winced when he mentioned Drake’s name. </p><p>Grayson frowned, but continued. “Jason is constantly telling me to shut up when he’s reading, and B-- I didn’t want to mess up your concentration.”</p><p>“My ability to multitask is superior to theirs.” Damian ignored the smile that grew on Grayson’s face.</p><p>“So you wouldn’t mind if I bounced some ideas off you?”</p><p>Damian turned back to his drawing and waited, knowing that Grayson would take his silence as approval to begin speaking. </p><p>“I don’t think the press conference went well today.  I wasn’t prepared to talk about Tim.”</p><p>Damian stiffened slightly, but didn’t interrupt.</p><p>“I shoulda had a statement prepared to explain this absence. He <em>is</em> still the acting chief of research and technology, but it’s been so long that people are getting nosy.”  Grayson sighed. “What do you think? Should I appoint a new chief?” Grayson’s voice cracked slightly. </p><p>“Drake... is competent, but his absence put’s Father’s company at a disadvantage.”  Damian spoke slowly. He knew Drake’s absence from Gotham was a painful subject for Grayson.  </p><p>“Yeah.  I was thinking that too. He could always take over again when he comes back.”</p><p>Damian thought that was wishful thinking but remained quiet.  He had no doubt that as long as <em> he </em>was here Drake would remain as far away from Gotham as possible.  Damian felt a pang of regret. Not that Drake wasn’t here, but that his absence was upsetting to Grayson.  Batman needed to be focused, and Grayson was far too emotional for his own good.  </p><p>“A temporary appointment for Drake’s <em> sabbatical </em>would be an appropriate solution.  After all, he is studying abroad… in a way.” Damian glanced back at Grayson.  His eyes were locked on some distant roof. “Grayson?”</p><p>His eyes snapped to Damian.  A small smile stretched over his face.  It wasn’t exactly a happy smile, but it wasn’t fake either.  </p><p>“Yeah, that should work.  I’ll get on that tomorrow.” He leaned forward and ruffled Damian’s hair.</p><p>“Tt.” Damian smacked his hand away and moved to re-sculpt his hair back into a more acceptable position.</p><p>“Thanks.” Grayson began to ramble about small things that had happened in the office that week, pausing to ask Damian’s opinion every now and then. Damian let the words wash over him as he continued to draw.  The sun was getting low on the horizon but Grayson made no move to leave. When the light was too low for him to make out any more details of the city, Damian closed his book. Grayson still didn’t move. Damian bit his lip.  Perhaps Grayson wouldn’t mind if he asked. He was always telling him that he could come to him with <em>anything</em>. </p><p>“Grayson?” Damian cut off his commentary and waited for the man next to him to snap at being interrupted from whatever current tale he was recounting.  </p><p>“Yeah, Dami?” If Grayson heard the fear in Damian’s voice he gave no sign of it. </p><p>“Did you see the paper this morning?” Damian refused to look at him.  After living almost a year with Grayson, he found it hard to believe the man would be mad at the question.  But a lifetime of living with his mother made him... <em> nervous </em>still. </p><p>“Yeah. I did... Is that what upset you?” His voice was so understanding it almost hurt to hear.</p><p>Damian frowned.  “I’m not upset.”</p><p>“It upset me.” an inexplicable quaver was in Grayson’s voice.</p><p>Damian mulled his words over for a moment.  If it had upset Grayson then perhaps the article was right.  Grayson was sensitive, and he cared. “Was it… <em> accurate </em>?”</p><p>“No.” </p><p>The word came out so quickly, Damian jumped. </p><p>Grayson was silent for a long moment. He pulled his legs up to his chest. “He would never have left you by choice.”</p><p>“He didn’t like me,” Damian whispered. </p><p>Grayson tensed next to him, then slowly placed his hand on Damian’s shoulder. When his hand wasn’t shaken off, he pulled Damian back to him and wrapped both arms around him.  “He liked you very much. He loved you.”</p><p>“I don’t think that’s true.  He was mad at me when he left.  He was mad about me fighting with Drake.” Damian leaned into Grayson’s hold slightly.  He was warm and the wind was starting to give him a chill.</p><p>“I knew him probably the better than anyone, aside from Alf maybe.  So I <em> know </em> what I’m talking about, Dami. That man <em> loved </em>you.  He loved you, Alfred, Jason, Tim, Cass and Me more than anything else in the world.  He loved us more than even this city.”</p><p>“I thought love was…” Damian trailed off, unable to say it.  Grayson loved him. Grayson said it, showed it. But Father…</p><p>“B was a weird nut.  He said he loved you all the time, he just didn’t say it in a way that people always understand.” Grayson exhaled, blowing Damian hair slightly as he did. </p><p>“He didn’t yell at Drake or you like--”</p><p>Grayson snorted.  “You just weren't present for our blowouts.  Trust me. Bruce and I fought like cats and dogs. Tim and Jason too.”</p><p>“That is an inaccurate comparison.  Titus and Alfred do not fight.”</p><p>“Well your pets are weird.” Grayson paused, “wonderful, but weird.”</p><p>“They are exceptional.”  Damian liked the feel of Grayson’s laughter as he held him.  It shook his whole body.  </p><p>They sat silently for a long moment and watched the last rays of the sun vanish.  </p><p>“Damian?” Grayson’s voice was heavy.</p><p>Damian pulled away slightly to look at his expression.  </p><p>He licked his lips and spoke slowly as if each word pained him. “If he were here… I.  He wasn’t good at saying what he was feeling, but he showed it. Remember when you had only been here a month?”  He didn’t wait for Damian’s confirmation. “He bought you that pen set. He spent three hours deciding which one to get. Or when Alfred made dal bhat, that was because you said you didn’t like eating bland trash every meal to him.”</p><p>Damian turned pink.  Had he really said that?  </p><p>“If he didn’t love you he wouldn’t have done that.  I don’t think he’s ever let a guest get away with insulting Alf’s cooking.  And he usually gives..." Dick winced slightly.  "Gave the whole Justice League the same thing for Christmas.  And I’m pretty sure Alfred picked it out every year.”</p><p>“The article said that he dumped me on you.”</p><p>Grayson sighed.  “You know that’s not true.  They only are saying that because we're using Hush.”</p><p>“But..” Damian was annoyed at himself. His eyes were not cooperating at the moment.  He blinked back tears not wanting to start crying again. “He left.”</p><p>“Yeah.  But he thought he was coming back.” Dick pulled him closer again.  “He wanted to come back.”</p><p>Damian pulled his phone from his pocket and pulled up his voice mail.  He stared at it for a long moment before hitting play and handing it to Grayson. </p><p>When the message ended Damian felt Grayson’s arms tighten around him again.  “I’m sorry you were fighting…when… I know that sucks.”</p><p>“Maybe if he wasn’t distracted--”</p><p>“No.  Nope. Don’t go there. It’s not your fault.  Bruce was... He could compartmentalize better than anyone.” Grayson pushed Damian away from his chest and turned him to face him. “It. Is. Not. Your. Fault.”  </p><p>Damian felt the tears that had been threatening to spill over his face fall.  Grayson began rummaging in his bag again. Damian frowned. Grayson had never not hugged him when he cried.  Was he mad at him or-- </p><p>Grayson held up his phone.  </p><p>“Dick.  I need you back in Gotham.  I’ve got-- Hold on Clark, give me a minute--  I’m sorry to call you like this, but I don’t know where Damian’s run off to and Tim’s fuming.  But -- I know Clark-- Dick, I need you to look out for them. I’m not sure how long this mission is going to take.  Oh and take Damian to Bernie Park’s this weekend for me if I’m not back. Alfred has the tickets-- oh for the love of-- I’m coming.  Thanks Dick. Talk to you soon.” </p><p>Damian sat staring wide eyed at Grayson’s phone.  The time stamp was <em>after</em> his message to Damian. He knew because he had stared at it for hours, days.  Had Father really spent his last words to Grayson asking him to take Damian to a museum exhibition?</p><p>Damian remembered Grayson dragging him to it-- kicking and screaming.  No matter how hard he had screamed that he didn’t want to go, no matter how many times Damian had hit him, Grayson hadn’t relented.  He made Damian see every painting and statue. A fresh wave of tears hit him. He hadn’t even appreciated his Father’s last present to him.  Grayson’s phone disappeared and he pulled Damian back to him. </p><p>“He wanted to come back.” Damian sobbed into Grayson’s hoodie.  This time however the tears that fell were in relief instead of pain.</p>
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